Neglect in fire death of tot

The mother of a 3-year-old girl who died from smoke inhalation and burns suffered during a house fire last month admitted in Albany County Family Court Tuesday to neglect in a failed attempt to regain custody of her four surviving children.

Her mother, MarAsia VanNess, admitted in Albany Family Court that she left a stove burner turned on and then fell asleep after putting her children down for a nap. Amari started the fire after she stuck incense into one of the burners, VanNess has said.

In court, VanNess said she did everything she could to get her children out of the house and severely burned her hand when she attempted to pull a burning couch out of the house. She accused her landlord of not repairing her heat and said she had to use the burners to warm up the kitchen because the house had been cold for days and her children were suffering.

“I turned the burners on because their noses were always running; they were always sick,” she told Judge Margaret Walsh.

VanNess, who is pregnant, is required to attend fire safety and parenting classes in order to regain custody of her four children.